Author: Veronica Roth

Hello and here I am with another reading roundup. Since my last roundup I have read four books. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure that I’ve shared my reading goal for 2017 – I’ve challenged myself to read 80 books this year. So far, so good. Anyway, onto the books.

The first book I’d like to mention is Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Hachette was kind enough to send me a Netgalley for this March 28th release – thank you so much! I anticipate publishing a full review of this book nearer the date, so I won’t say too much here. In summary though, I’ll say that Taylor’s worldbuilding and lyrical prose are both gorgeous. As an aside, isn’t that an absolutely stunning cover? Wonderful. Additionally, I’ll say that it’s been a while since I connected so quickly and so strongly with a protagonist. The more I read about him the more I felt we were really on the same wavelength. I loved his story and am excited to read the continuation.

Self help is not a genre of books I read very often, but I made an exception for David Allen’s Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. One of my goals for 2017 was to become better organised and more productive. I first learned about the GTD methodology through Carl Pullein’s YouTube channel that I follow. I’ve been working on this for around six weeks now, so it’s too early to tell, but I’m happy with what I’ve learned. Again, I plan a full review on this book, so I won’t say too much. In essence, GTD is based on the assumption that the brain is pretty poor at holding information, and that a much better solution is to input the information into a trusted and maintained task and reference management system. I’m planning a full review on GTD, so won’t say too much more here.

I gave Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity five stars out of five.

One book I did very much enjoy recently was Renee Andieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn. This is a young adult fantasy inspired by The Arabian Nights and tells the story of Shazi, a young woman seeking revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend. Even knowing that the Caliph routinely murders his wives on the morning after their wedding, she agrees to marry him. As in the original, she uses the Caliph’s love of stories to extend her life.

The setting was beautifully evocative of the Arabian Nights world and I loved that there seems to be hidden layers to the story that have not yet been revealed. I liked Shazi and Khalid as characters, although their romance did seem a little Instalovey. That’s probably unavoidable given the scenario. The pacing was excellent and kept me turning the pages. I have not yet picked up book two, but I certainly plan to in the near future.

The last book I want to talk about today is Veronica Roth’s Carve the Mark. This is a new duology from the creator of the Divergent trilogy and centres around a world in which the Force like current is all-pervasive and grants special powers, or currentgifts, to the inhabitants. These gifts can be both a blessing and a curse. Our protagonists are Akos and Cyra, on opposite sides of a civil conflict, and their paths collide.

On the positive side, the worldbuilding is excellent. Each of the cultures we meet is clearly defined with its own beliefs, values and systems, and the current and currentgifts add a fascinating aspect to it. The world has a wonderful realness to it. It was also interesting to deal with a protagonist who has to deal with chronic pain – Roth has said that that was one of her inspirations for the story.

On the not-so-good side, once again Roth has gone for dual points of view, a technique which didn’t work so well in Allegiant, and has its issues here. It’s still unclear to me why Cyra’s chapters are in first person and Akos’s in third. My biggest issue with the novel is that neither of our protagonists seem to have very clear goals. It’s much harder to root for someone to achieve something when it’s not clear what they want to achieve and why. For me, the pacing was also not fast enough to keep my interest.

For these reasons, it’s unlikely that I will pick up the sequel.

I gave Carve the Mark three stars out of five.

Upcoming releases in February

There are four books being published in the month of February about which I am excited. Here they are.

First up, we have King’s Cage, the third instalment in Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series. This is a young adult fantasy series which is somewhat trope filled. I’ll admit this is not my most anticipated read of the month, but I’ve followed the series through Red Queen and Glass Sword, so I may as well continue on. King’s Cage is released on February 7th.

Also on February 7th we have Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, a contemporary novel about a young woman whose perfect Instagram feed hides the chaos in her life. I adore Kinsella’s work – her Finding Audrey was so beautifully and sensitively written – and so I didn’t hesitate to preorder this one. I’m very much looking forward to it! This is one I’ll pick up in audiobook format – Kinsella’s writing is perfect for that medium, and it’s being narrated by Fiona Hardingham, who narrated the awesome The Summer Before the War.

Yet another book to be released on February 7th is Neil Gaiman’s Norse Gods. I don’t know too much about this except that it’s narrated by Gaiman himself and tells the story of Norse mythology, woven into a novelistic arc. I’ve been enjoying Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase series, so I’m looking forward to this very much.

Finally, on February 21st we have the release of A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab, This is the third book in the Shades of Magic series which tells of four parallel Londons and of Kell, who has the ability to travel between them. I love the world Schwab has created and the characters who inhabit it. I’m excited to read the conclusion to the story. This is another one I’ll pick up in audiobook format given that it’s narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer.

It looks like I’ll be doing a lot of listening in February!

What books are you looking forward to in February? Let me know in the comments.

Now that 2016 is almost done, it’s time to talk about my most anticipated books of 2017. Here in date order are the books I’m most looking forward to in 2017

Series continuations

Wayfarer by Alexandra BrackenSeries:Passenger #2Also in this series:PassengerFormat:AudiobookNarrator:Saskia MaarleveldLength: 16 hours and 16 minutes Genres:Contemporary FantasyBuy from Amazon, Kobo, AudibleThe first book I’m really anticipating next year is Wayfarer, the second and final book in Alexandra Bracken’s time travelling duology Passenger. Bracken has created some wonderful characters and a solid and fascinating time travel story in this series. As you’d expect with Bracken, the author of The Darkest Minds, the worldbuilding is incredible and the time travel system is beautifully developed and intriguing. I love when magic/timetravel systems have clear limitations, which impact the story and characters. I’m very much looking forward to the conclusion.

Wayfarer is released on January 3rd 2017.

The Song Rising by Samantha ShannonSeries:The Bone Season #3Also in this series:The Bone Season, The Mime OrderFormat:eBookPages: 380 pages Genres:Contemporary FantasyBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunesThe Song Rising by Samantha Shannon is the third book in the Bone Season series. Now this is a series that has really grown on me. It is a mixture of genres. There’s a bit of fantasy, a bit of dystopian, a bit of politicking. I will say though that this series may not be the easiest to pick up. The worldbuilding (and associated jargon) is incredibly detailed and Shannon doesn’t ease the reader in gently. Our protagonist, Paige Mahoney, is familiar with the world of the clairvoyants right from he beginning so the reader is expected to hit the ground running. Once you get over that hurdle though the series is amazing. It is very easy to get immersed in the world once you get to know it and our protagonist is very engaging. I found the novella On the Merits of Unnaturalness extremely useful for getting into the world, and I would suggest you may want to pick this up first. I’m very excited to read what’s next for Paige, Warden and their allies.

The Song Rising is released on March 7th 2017.

Assassin's Fate by Robin HobbSeries:Fitz and the Fool #3Also in this series:Fool's Assassin, Fool's Quest, Assassin's FateFormat:eBookPages: 976 pages Genres:Epic FantasyBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunesAssassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb is probably the book from 2017 I’m most anxious to get my hands on, but at the same time I’m dreading the most. This is the final book in the Fitz and the Fool trilogy and, likely, the conclusion to Fitz and the Fool’s story. Their relationship is one of my top fictional relationships, so I’m expecting to need a box of tissues while reading this book. Their bond is so beautiful and exquisitely written by Hobb. I’m certain Hobb will give us a perfect ending to the story, but it may well be bittersweet. I see from Amazon that the book is over 900 pages; that’s up with GRRM or Brandon Sanderson territory. Excellent!

Assassin’s Fate will be released on May 9th 2017.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra ClareSeries:The Dark Artifices #2Also in this series:Lady MidnightFormat:eBookPages: 704 pages Genres:Contemporary FantasyBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunesLord of Shadows is the second in Cassandra Clare’s The Dark Artifices series, set in her Shadowhunters world. I loved Lady Midnight and am really excited for book two. The world is awesome and the new characters are wonderfully engaging. This was a pretty easy autobuy for me. Bring it on.

Lord of Shadows is released on May 23rd 2017.

The Core by Peter V. BrettSeries:The Demon CycleFormat:eBookPages: 448 pages Genres:Epic FantasyBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunesThe Core is the fifth and final book in Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle. Things are now in place for the final confrontation and Arlen and Jardir are ready to take the fight to the Corelings. Rojer and Leesha will also have a role to play. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this one ends.

The Core is released on August 15th 2017.

New Series

Carve the Mark by Veronica RothSeries:Carve the Mark #1Format:eBookPages: 480 pages Genres:Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Young AdultBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, AudibleDivergent author Veronica Roth has a new series coming out next year starting with Carve the Mark. This is young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel set in a world in which a Force-like current pervades the universe and grants special powers or currentgifts to inhabitants. We follow two teens, Cyra and Akos, whose worlds collide and who must decide whether to aid or thwart the other. Although it’s one of my most anticipated reads, I do have some qualms about it. It has a dual PoV, which Roth didn’t handle so well in Allegiant. The world could either be amazing or it could be a mess. I’m still intrigued enough to add this to my most anticipated reads of 2017, so time will tell on which side it falls.

I admit I cheated here somewhat; I’ve actually already read Caraval by Stephanie Garber and LOVED it (I was lucky enough to pick up a copy at BEA). It was one of my top reads of 2017 – the characters, the world and the twisty turny plot was breathtaking. Don’t miss this one. I’ve added it to my most anticipated reads of 2017 as I’m looking forward to experiencing it again. I will pick it up in audiobook format as it’s being narrated by Lunar Chronicles narrator Rebecca Soler.

Caraval is released on January 31st 2017.

Red Sister by Mark LawrenceFormat:eBookPages: 480 pages Genres:Epic FantasyBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunesRed Sister by Mark Lawrence is a new series by Broken Empire writer Mark Lawrence. It’s set in a different world to his previous series and centres on young nun assassin Nona Grey. It immediately made me think of the His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin Lafevers. Lawrence is especially skilled at writing interesting, morally gray characters, so I’m very much looking forward to this.

Red Sister is released on April 4th 2017

Defy the Stars by Claudia GrayFormat:eBookPages: 512 pages Genres:Young Adult, Sci-FiBuy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunesDefy the Stars by Claudia Gray is a new YA sci-fi series. I don’t know much about it other than the premise that young teen must work together with cantankerous AI to save her planet. Gray is now an autobuy author for me and I trust that in her hands this will be a fantastic read.

Defy the Stars is released on April 4th 2017

Honorary mentions.

There are a couple of books which don’t yet have release dates but which may, possibly, if the Fates are kind, be published in 2017.

The first of these is, of course, George R. R. Martin’s The Winds of Winter, book six in the Song of Ice and Fire. The HBO TV series has bypassed the currently published books at this point, so certain things will be spoiled. However, I still need to read Martin’s take on things. Should WoW be be published in 2017 it will go straight to the top of my most anticipated reads.

Finally we have The Thorn of Emberlain, the next in Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastards series. This was originally scheduled for October (I think) of 2016 but was postponed indefinitely. I’m hoping it will be published in 2017, so let’s hope.

That’s all for this year – which of these upcoming releases are you most looking forward to?

When I finished Allegiant I really couldn’t decide if it was a brilliant piece of writing or a garbled mess. However, given that I had a major emotional book hangover and couldn’t face picking up another book for several days, I’m going for the “brilliant piece of writing.” For those of you concerned about my mental wellbeing, I was rescued from the emotional depths by Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park, a sweet story of first love, so that in a couple of days I may actually be ready to go back to The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. So, onto Allegiant. It is difficult, if not impossible, to review Allegiant without spoilers, so please join me after the cut once you have read the book.